UFO Sightings in California
15,215 UFO sightings reported in California since 1935, peaking in 2014 (869 reports); most often described as light.
- Total sightings
- 15,215
- Span
- 1935–2028
- Peak year
- 2014 (869 reports)
- Dominant shape
- Light
1935–2028 · peak 2014 (869 reports)
Top cities in California
Los Angeles
1942–2022 · peak 2007 (29 reports)
San Diego
1944–2022 · peak 2007 (32 reports)
Sacramento
1956–2022 · peak 2012 (26 reports)
San Jose
1947–2022 · peak 2012 (21 reports)
San Francisco
1956–2021 · peak 2008 (26 reports)
Fresno
1953–2022 · peak 2014 (18 reports)
Long Beach
1957–2022 · peak 2017 (13 reports)
Bakersfield
1961–2022 · peak 1995 (13 reports)
Santa Rosa
1955–2022 · peak 2015 (10 reports)
Santa Barbara
1968–2022 · peak 2020 (12 reports)
Riverside
1976–2020 · peak 2008 (11 reports)
Modesto
1947–2021 · peak 2009 (13 reports)
Redding
1986–2022 · peak 2012 (10 reports)
Burbank
1981–2021 · peak 2003 (24 reports)
Huntington Beach
1945–2020 · peak 2012 (8 reports)
Anaheim
1963–2020 · peak 2015 (12 reports)
Ventura
1967–2021 · peak 2012 (13 reports)
El Cajon
1969–2022 · peak 2014 (14 reports)
Irvine
1980–2022 · peak 2007 (18 reports)
Oakland
1968–2022 · peak 2003 (6 reports)
Santa Rosa · CA, USA
Semi-cloaked huge light ball in Santa Rosa emmits light swirls in circular pattern facing earth ,then upwards then vanished.
Cottonwood · CA, USA
Low in horizon a very bright light that streamed a foggy like light at the L and R sides. ((NUFORC Note: Rocket launch. PD))
Auburn · CA, USA
Craft that looked.like a bright star was seen in the sky stationary and unmoving for appox 3 minutes with starlike rays of light emina
Willows · CA, USA
Witnessed a light that went up surrounded by fog in a v shape hovered for 12-15 minutes then descended with fog taking the opposite sha
Oxnard · CA, USA
The UFO was like a bright giant spotlight very slowly drifting in an westerly direction high above the 101 FWY and the Vineyard Ave. &
Eldorado Hills · CA, USA
A very small, circular shape was seen casting down onto the apartment complexes in eldorado hills. It shone two bright, conelike beams
Rohnert Park · CA, USA
Object leaving trails in night sky. ((NUFORC Note: Launch of Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg AFB. PD))
Richmond · CA, USA
It was night. Object started as a bright white light behind light cloud coverage. Soon it became more clear as an object that seemed to
Salinas · CA, USA
fireball shaped object. ((NUFORC Note: We suspect witness was looking south, watching a missile launch. PD))
Manteca · CA, USA
We watched 2 orange onion shaped lights that were next to each other. ((NUFORC Note: Sky lanterns?? PD))
Chirico Summit · CA, USA
A bright white light when coming towards me. Once sideways I saw it was cigar shaped and dull gray
Marina del Rey · CA, USA
Fireball at ocean horizon.
Santa Ana · CA, USA
Have a bit of dashcam footage.
Los Angeles · CA, USA
Appearance and disappearance of a large bright white stationary overhead light.
Chula Vista · CA, USA
Multiple orange lights falling from the sky in a spiral and disappearing. ((NUFORC Note: USN parachutists reported in area. PD))
Bonita · CA, USA
Three bright orange (orb's) descended out of the clouds slow but then proceeded to put on a display of zigzag's with Comet like trails
San Jose · CA, USA
Fast moving black triangle with no lights and emitting no sound heading northward.
Auburn · CA, USA
I was walking to the store and the Sphere are orb to stay in the sky look like a star I thought it was a star. ((anonymous report))
San Pablo · CA, USA
Looked as if it were a satellite until it lit up like a bright light until the plane passed. ((NUFORC Note: Possible Iridium sa
San Ramon · CA, USA
I happened to look up and saw a silver, metallic, cylindrical object that seemed to be spiraling towards the earth.
Redondo Beach · CA, USA
Saw "V" formation 5-7 red blinking lights, very high up, heading SE over Palos Verdes. ((NUFORC Note: Witness is MUFON member. PD))
Torrance · CA, USA
Bright red and green flashing lights with no flight path and rapid acceleration below horizon.
San Diego · CA, USA
I was outside between two one-story buildings, the ground lights illuminated from below the underside. ((anonymous report))
Long Beach · CA, USA
Strange to see an aircraft travel that fast, low altitude with no sound report.
Claremont · CA, USA
3 orange fireballs with light trails moving left to right and downwards in far distance